Classroom: Hand Knit to Machine Knit

Best of Both Worlds
Tutorials
Course: Use a Hand Knitting Pattern with Your Knitting Machine
Course: Hand Knit Yoke Sweaters
From the Blog
Live Knit Club | HK to MK

Hybrid Knitting

Hand + Machine = Success!

From hand to machine: The best of both worlds
The speed of machine knitting is what attracts a lot of knitters. They either have a huge collection of original ideas or a massive stash of yarn that they will "never" use.

The hand knitter's advantage
Hand knitters who machine knit have an advantage:
  • You understand how different yarn fibers behave, which can be crucial when selecting materials for machine knitting. Your experience with yarn weight, drape, and elasticity can help you make informed choices that enhance your machine-knitted garments.
  • Knowing how stitches are formed can help in troubleshooting and correcting problems when machine knitting
If you do hand knit, consider knitting the fun stuff by hand and the boring stuff by machine. A fairisle circular yoke sweater is a perfect example. Knit the yoke in lots of colors, then pick up and knit the body and sleeves on the machine. You'll be wearing the sweater in a fraction of the time.

If you don't have a ribber, pick up those sticks and knit your ribbing by hand.

Want to add a bit of garter stitch or seed stitch? Instead of manually re-forming the stitches, consider hand knitting those sections.

Rehang stitches and continue knitting on the machine
Knitting patterns
Even if you don't hand knit, you can take inspiration from the hand knitting world. Sadly there are very few knitwear designers that publish patterns for machine knitting. Learn to "translate" hand knitting patterns to knit them on the machine (it's not hard). The weekly Knit it Now Machine Knit-Able offers inspiration from designers in the hand knitting world.
About Machine Knit-Ables

Tips for Success
  1. Start small: Begin with simple projects and get familiar with your knitting machine. As you gain confidence, you can tackle more complex projects
  2. Experiment: Don’t be afraid to experiment with different yarns and stitch patterns. Mixing various fibers and textures can lead to unique creations that stand out.
  3. Stay Inspired: Continue to seek inspiration from both the hand and machine knitting worlds.
  4. Embrace mistakes:Mistakes are part of the learning process. Embrace them as opportunities to grow and build your skills.
Conclusion
Embrace the potential of hybrid knitting by experimenting with combining both techniques. The possibilities are endless and your next success is right around the corner.